By: iPadfanzz Editor on April 4, 2013
Hopefully by now, you’re in full Spring Cleaning mode. De-cluttering your inbox, clearing your closet, or your finances may be! But don’t forget to spring clean your iPhone or iPad. It is not just about wiping the screen – but actually going through those apps, getting those updates, and making sure your phone is running in tip-top shape. Remember your precious tablet and smartphone are some of those items with which you spend a lot of your time, so it definitely deserves some Spring Cleaning love. Here’s how to do it:
1. Get rid of apps you don’t use
Begin the spring cleaning process with those apps that you don’t use (I mean those that you have stopped using). Though an icon of the said app may make give yourself the feeling of having lot of apps, it is actually slowing down your device. Deciding which apps should be removed can be tricky call, so take a good look at all of them and see if something can replace them. And it’s time to freshen things up again. Press and hold the icons until they wiggle and hit that nice, big “X”. If only dead leaves were this easy to get rid of.
Tip: The removable apps can be decided when you’re waiting in line for coffee or on the bus.
2. Rearrange and Group
The total number of apps that you store on your device invariably runs into different pages. The first page for the homescreen is for most used (Calendar, Weather, Flipboard, Tweetbot, etc.) or quick access apps. The 2nd page may contain apps in the gaming category and in the third page it may include entertainment and heavy productivity apps. It’s time to organize them. It’s better to organize apps into folders like:
Photography (eg. Istagram, Camera+, iMovie, iPhoto, etc.)
Utilities ( eg. YouVersion Bible, Soundhound, Clock, Calculator, etc.)
Games – Long playing games(eg. NBA Jam, Sword & Sworcery, Tetris, etc.)
Casual Games (Doodle Jump, Angry Birds, Words with Friends, etc.)
Shopping and Finance (eg. Mint, Localscope, Chipotle, GasBuddy, etc.)
Misc Other Apps – Apps I hardly use or can’t delete (eg. AirPort Utility, Voice Memos, Game Center, Cards, etc.)
Tip: Make sure that you keep your Settings and App Store icons out of groups.
3. Clear Safari Internet History
Clearing up history, cookies and data will help to boost Safari performance. You’ll have to reenter your login credentials on some sites, but the break you’ll give Safari will be worth it. Just go under Settings > Safari > Clear History & Clear Cookies and Data.
4. Make sure iOS is up to date
Go to Settings > General>Software update to download the latest version of the iOS. It is also preferable to download the software since it will give you bug fixes and address security vulnerabilities in Safari.
5. Overhaul the Settings on Your iPhone
Ever wondered what could be causing my battery to drain so fast? You need to go to your Settings menu and disable the following settings to increase your battery life significantly:
Push notifications for email (Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars).
Push notifications for apps (Settings > Notifications).
Location Services (Settings > Location Services).
Disable Ping (Settings > General >Restrictions > Ping).
6. Be selective in your photo syncing
In iTunes you can select which albums or events you want to synchronize with your iOS device. Connect your iPhone or iPad to your Mac or PC, go into iTunes and tap your device then go to the Photos tab. Now select either all or few of the photos to be sync’d.
7. Invest in a new case
If you think that your iPad/iPhone case could not withstand further rough usage, then it’s time to replace it. Replace the old looking case with a new one that looks good as well as provides protection. If your case is torn or not fitting properly to your device any longer it means your phone could slip out or it won’t protect it like it should.
